president obama and house speaker john boehner talked by phone today about the so-called fiscal cliff-- those tax hikes for most americans and massive spending cuts that will kick in the first of the year unless two strike a budget deal. a republican source tells us that the president has cut his demand for more tax revenue from $1.6 trillion to $1.4 trillion, but the source said that the lower figure is no more acceptable to republicans. but the negotiations continue in private. the united states has a lot at stake in the syrian civil war. president obama has suggested that american firepower might be needed to prevent the dictatorship from using chemical weapons. we've learned that tomorrow the administration will endorse one of the rebel groups that is now fighting to overthrow bashar al- assad. who are these new american allies? clarissa ward found their leader in brussels. >> reporter: moaz al-khatib is the man chosen to lead a newly formed coalition of syria's opposition groups. what does it mean to be recognized by the u.s.? "the u.s. administration has big influence globally"